The ability to go beyond the traditional perimeter, whether in business or geographically, to provide global responses to an increasingly demanding and articulated market demand. This is the common feature of the companies that have grown the most in recent years. Because, between technological innovation, which is experiencing unprecedented acceleration in recent times, and the "disruptive" events that have occurred since the pandemic onwards, the old rules have lost their strength.
Turning point for growth
"For nearly four decades we have grown in a healthy and progressive way, but then at a certain point we found ourselves at a crossroads: continue on the path we had traced, aware that the potential for further growth was limited, or open up to new areas related to our own," says Luca Ceccarelli, president of Ceccarelli Group, a company founded in 1979 as a national courier, which over time has also opened up to industrial transport, both less than full truckload and full truckload, always within the national territory.
Giacomo Lodolo Ph
"In a rapidly evolving market, we have realized that demand was favoring operators able to guarantee a comprehensive response to logistics and IT needs," adds the president of the company headquartered in Udine with offices also in Trieste, Padua, Milan and Prato. "So over the last few years we have grown by embracing all the branches and facets of transport and today we are a group of seven companies, including one that deals with software solutions for the client, in terms of supply chain, and one of logistics both in terms of consulting and in-house warehouse management (at customers' sites, ed.), and both with customers who outsource their goods to one of our three logistics hubs totaling 30,000 square meters, covering Friuli Venezia-Giulia and Eastern Veneto," he says.
Matteo Favi Immagini
The current state of an Integrated Group
Today's results show a group revenue of €56 million for 2023, an increase of 8% compared to 2022, despite the weak economic climate over the past year. And the growth is nothing new, as 2021 closed with revenue of €41 million.
Giacomo Lodolo Ph
The previous financial year also saw an EBITDA (a measure of core business performance) of 3 million euros, with investments of 6 million euros, part of which were dedicated to renewing the fleet, with the arrival of seven new vehicles. "The latest partnership involved opening up the Iberian Peninsula market, thus completing the countries served in Europe, as well as the international projection that the Group is acquiring," emphasizes Luca Ceccarelli. "Today, therefore, we have such diversification that makes us a group capable of growing even if one of the business activities or one of the markets in which we operate is suffering. We can count on a diversification that guarantees us flexibility and allows us to ensure sustainable growth," he adds.
He then goes on to recall that the growth path is accompanied by a strong focus on the environment and sustainability, with actions to reduce consumption, such as the debut of the first electric vehicle for deliveries in the center of Udine, and the introduction of a CSR Manager on corporate social responsibility issues.
Investments are not stopping. A few weeks ago, the new 40,000 square meter logistics hub in Budoia (Pordenone) was inaugurated, which "did not consume new land, as we opted for the redevelopment of a historic furniture factory that had been abandoned for years," the president specifies.
Giacomo Lodolo Ph
The facility also includes 1,000 square meters of offices and 16,000 square meters of warehouses, and required a total investment of approximately 5 million.
NordEst Economia Post
